When the Romans rebelled against the last of
the seven
kings, Tarquin the Proud, they swore never to have another king and they turned
to a system which would prevent future tyranny: a Republic. Following the
expulsion of Tarquin a law was passed which forbade royalist policies or ideals
to be pursued by anyone.

The love for personal freedom and the fear of an absolutist
tyrant lasted well into the future, to the point that
Julius Caesar was murdered
by a group of republican idealists which included his own adoptive son, Brutus.
The great emperor Augustus learned of this lesson and he himself achieved
absolute control by showing himself, at least in propaganda, to be disinterested
in personal gain and glorification and to be always ready to give up a good
share of power. That way he held on to power and increased it through time by
having the Senate award him one title after another. In such a way he fashioned
the figure of the emperor which was to rule over Rome
for the forthcoming centuries.

Later Roman emperors were not so cautious but they had learned that
the Roman hate for absolutist Tyrants and Kings could be heavily diluted by
softening the mind of the Plebeians with free food and circus games.
Emperor Nero went
as far as making extravagant donations to the poor but this turned heavily
against him when the cut price food he had promised faltered.